Illuminated screw driver



J. V. WHITE ET AL ILLUMINATED SCREW DRIVER May 6, 1941.

Filed July 25, 1939 AT TOR EY.

Patented May 6, 1941 ILLUMINATED SCREW DRIVER John V. White and EdwardJ. Bitter, Niles, Ohio; said Bitter assignor to said White ApplicationJuly 25, 1939, Serial No. 286,351

(Ci. 240-6A6) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a screw driver and,

more particularly, to a screw driver provided with illuminating meanssituated in the handle portion thereof. 4

The principal object of this invention is the provision of anilluminated screw driver, the various parts of which are inexpensive inmanufacture and simple in construction.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an illuminatedscrew driver, thehandle portion of which is corrugated so as to providea better gripping surface andlat the same time to provide for a smallerinner diameter suitable for holding a standard size battery in properposition.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of anilluminated screw driver which may be readily disassembled so that theillumination means may be inspected and replaced when necessary.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of anilluminated screw driver adapted to use a preiocused bulb and formed sothat the light rays reach the tip of the screw driver with a minimum ofshadow.

The illuminated screw driver shown and described herein has beendesigned to form an inexpensive yet practical illuminated tool that maybe conveniently used for tasks wherein the use of an illuminated tool isindicated. The screw driver is formed of a few easily fabricated partsthus serving to make its manufacturing costs very low and permit it tobe distributed to the public at very low cost in comparison with othertools of this type.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of the illuminated screw driver.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the socket portion of the illuminated screwdriver shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view, with parts broken away, showing a shank andreinforcing ring porend of the tubular housing I.

tion of the illuminated screw driver shown in Figure 1.

By referring to the drawing and Figure 1 in particular, it will be seenthat the illuminated screw driver comprises a tubular housing i which isprovided with a plurality of corrugations, the inner surface of whichform axially extending ridges 3, which serve to form a smaller innerdiameter suitable to receive a standard flashlight battery 4.

' Still referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that a reinforcing ring 5has been positioned within the upper end of the tubular housing I andthat a shank 6 has been aflixed to this reinforcing ring 5 (see Figure4) preferably by spot welding, the shank portion 6 extending downwardlybetween 2. pair of the corrugations where it is preferably spot weldedto the tubular housing I. The shank 6 extends outwardly from the tubularhousing I and has been shaped so that its outermost end I isapproximately on an axial center line of the said tubular housing. Thisoutermost end I of the shank 6 has a conventional tip 8 formed thereon.1

By referring to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that a socket 9 havinga threaded opening in therein is suitable for receiving a bulb which ispositioned within the tubular housing just below the reinforcing ring 5.This socket 9 is held in position by means of a coil spring I2 which inturn rests against the battery 4 and establishes a definite distancebetween the socket 8 and the battery 4 so that the bulb may be. turnedon or oil by screwing it in or out of the socket 8 thus making orbreaking its contact with the upper terminal of the battery 4. In orderthat this assembly of parts may be held in operating position, a flangedcap I3 is provided at the lower It is so formed that a plurality ofcrimped flanges l4 thereon slidably engage the inner surface of thetubular housing i and engage crimped portions I! there in. It is obviousthat the flanged cap I3 must be formed to correspond with the innershape of the tubular housing so as to provide for the clearance of thecorrugated sections 2. It will be seen that portions of the cap i3 restagainst the bottom ends of the corrugations 2 so that any pressurebrought against the cap is carried on the housing I. The center of thisflanged cap i3 is preferably bowed so as to provide electrical contactwith the bottom of the battery 4.

What we claim is:

1. An illuminated screw driver comprising a handle formed of a sectionof corrugated tubular material, a metallic shank rigidly secured in theforward end of the handle at one side thereof by means of a reinforcingring aflixed thereto and positioned within the forward end of the saidhandle portion, the inner end of the said shank 0 provided with aplurality of axially extending corrugations, a metallic shank rigidlysecured in the forward end thereof, at one side thereof, by means of areinforcing ring affixed thereto and to the inner surface of the saidtubular material, the outermost end of the said shank terminating on anaxially extending center line in relation to the said handle and shapedinto a screw driving blade, a bulb and socket assembly positioned withinthe forward end of the said handle and retained by meansof the saidreinforcing ring and a battery positioned therebehind within the saidhandle together with a cap adapted to close the opposite end of the saidhandle. V

JOHN V. WHITE. EDWARD J. RITTER.

